Controversial passage
“Spiking at the AfD”: Islamic associations criticize CDU draft program
Aiman Mazyek, Chairman of the Central Council of Muslims in Germany
© Friso Gentsch / DPA
A passage in the new CDU policy program makes Muslims in Germany responsible. This is now triggering strong criticism.
A passage about Muslims in Germany in the draft of the new CDU policy program has sparked outrage among several Islamic associations.“Muslims who share our values belong to Germany,” says the draft, which was presented in Berlin on Monday. And further: “Shariah does not belong to Germany.”
The chairman of the Central Council of Muslims, Aiman Mazyek, accused the CDU of fishing on the right-wing fringe: “Spiking with the AfD was not particularly wise even at school,” he told the star. “Incidentally, experience shows that voters will choose the original in the end.”
The German Islamic Council also criticized the passage: “Such discussions are exclusionary and lead to confusion,” said Burhan Kesici, chairman of the Islamic Council, to the star. “Such statements make it difficult for Muslims to identify with Germany.” The sentence is “problematic because, on the one hand, ‘our values’ are not defined,” says Kesici: “What values are we talking about here? On the other hand, the statement suggests that Muslims would reject the values in Germany.”
CDU program draft: differentiation from previous statements
With the passage, the CDU distances itself from a sentence by former Federal President Christian Wulff, who said in 2010: “Islam now also belongs to Germany.” Chancellor Angela Merkel and CDU veteran Wolfgang Schäuble also made similar statements.
The CDU initiated the process of a new basic program after losing power in the 2021 federal election. The current basic program dates back to 2007. In its draft for a new policy program, the CDU is aiming for a system change in asylum policy, commitment to a German dominant culture and nuclear power, as well as reforms in pension and labor market policy. Read the details here.
The new basic program is to be officially approved by the board at a meeting on January 12th and 13th in Heidelberg. The almost 70-page draft will then be discussed with the members and then approved by the 1,001 delegates at the party conference in May.